Promised Day
by Kelira Telian
Summary: 17-year-old Akagi Miria is going on a date with her girlfriend, Jougasaki Mika. Its a very important day, a day that she's been thinking about for a long time.


"Nee-chan whatcha doin'?" the little girl bounced into the bathroom and wrapped her arms around Akagi Miria's waist. "You goin' somewhere? Its Sunday morning, I want to play!" Miria ignored her as she put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup.

"I'm going out with Mika today." Miria puffed at her shoulder-length slightly wavy hair to make sure it was perfectly in place, then put some tasteful, but still noticeable, lipstick on. "So no playing today, sorry Fuyuko-chan." Her little sister puffed her cheeks out but then smiled.

"You have fun with Mika-neechan! I want to play with her too, bring her home with you!"

"I'll try!" Miria turned and tousled her little sister's hair. She was only barely seven years old now, but people were already commenting on how much she looked like her sister. She'd even started putting her hair up in two short pigtails, like Miria used to do herself. "Mom already knows that I'll be out today. So be a good girl for her, ok?"

"Ok! Have fun! Say hi to Mika-neechan for me!" Miria left the bathroom and grabbed her purse from her bed. A quick check to make sure she had all her necessities and she headed for the door. After pulling on a pair of wedge-heeled sandals, she turned to her sister who'd followed her to the door.

"I'm leaving, mom left some sandwiches in the refrigerator you can have, and don't open the door for strangers!"

"I know that, nee-chan!" Fuyuko said with some exasperation. "I'm not a child, I'm _seven_."

"Of course, how could I forget." Miria knelt down and hugged her sister. "Be a good girl until mom gets home." She stood and opened the door, turned one last time to wave to her little sister and then she was gone.

Miria made her way to the station and bought a ticket. She wore large dark glasses and a floppy hat, to help prevent people from recognizing her. Though she really wasn't a really well known model, she'd cut back a bit as graduation approached, she didn't want to sacrifice her schooling. But she'd been recognized on the street before, and today was one of the days where that certainly would not be a good idea.

She passed through the turnstiles and boarded her train, going through in her head the plan she'd made for this day. This day that had been a very, very long time coming.

oOoOo

Jougasaki Mika enjoyed being looked at. She'd come to terms with that aspect of her personality a long time ago. She enjoyed looking her best, no matter the situation. She enjoyed being the center of attention, knowing that everyone around was looking at her and thinking "Damn, she looks good!" This could cause some problems, but in her decade and more of being an idol and model, she'd learned a few tricks.

So she leaned against a poll near the station, she wasn't wearing dark glasses or a floppy hat. She had at times, but she really didn't feel they fit with any of her preferred looks. So by all rights, she should be noticed as the glamour model Jougasaki Mika, seen on billboards throughout Tokyo. In fact, she happened to know there was a billboard of her on the other side of the station, from her newest shoot for a makeup company. She was quite proud of that image.

However, the woman currently waiting outside the station didn't really look at all like the woman on the billboard. Sure they both had bubblegum-pink hair, but that wasn't incredibly uncommon. Both had amber eyes, but so do a lot of people. Mika had discovered that people saw what they expected. Jougasaki Mika was a glamourous model; she was the quintessential modern young woman. She dressed provocatively, but always in the current fashion. Sometimes she even set that fashion. The woman outside the station was beautiful; yes. But she felt…out of date, as if there was something off.

"Mika!" a voice called out to her. She turned towards the station entrance and saw the most beautiful girl in the world running towards her. The girl ran up and hugged her tightly. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Not really, just a few minutes." Actually it had been closer to fifteen minutes, but no reason to bring that up. "You're looking really good, though I barely recognized you in that amazing disguise!" She tweaked Miria about the glasses and hat a lot, though the few times they'd gone out without them Miria had been recognized instantly.

"You! You're wearing your gal clothes again!" Miria put her hands on her hips and stomped a foot. "You aren't 17 anymore!"

"I like these clothes. Besides, when I dress like this, no one recognizes me." It was true. Mika could walk around with complete freedom if she dressed in her "gal" style from when she was Miria's age. Several times she'd been told how much she looked like Jougasaki Mika, but not once had anyone realized who they were talking to. Her outfit was definitely out of style, but one thing Mika had learned was that she didn't care. She liked these clothes and would keep wearing them.

She looked Miria up and down. "Did you grow again?" Miria stomped her foot again.

"You just saw me two days ago! I did not grow again in two days!" She puffed her cheeks out, but she wasn't really angry. Both had been surprised when Miria's growth spurt hit. In their bare feet Miria actually had two centimeters on Mika, though most of the time their heights were about equal, due to Mika generally preferring higher heels than Miria was comfortable with.

"I know I know, I'm just teasing. I'm allowed to tease my girlfriend, aren't I?" Miria's face blushed at that. She'd been the one to make the first move, but she still got embarrassed when Mika said that out loud.

"Did you make sure to free up your entire day?" More than one date had been interrupted by Mika suddenly getting called in for an emergency shoot, much to Miria's immense displeasure.

"Yes, I told them that I absolutely positively would not be available, and if they really needed someone to call Rika." Rika had taken over Mika's spot as the popular Gal idol and model. The modern fashions were a little different, but the concept was the same. "She's been chomping for more modeling gigs, so if this gets her some business, that's great."

"I hope she has fun with that, though maybe not too much fun." Miria had gotten a front row seat to one of the more unpleasant idol scandals of recent years, when Rika…well that wasn't important, and Mika had had to deal with it even more than Miria had. "We're not here to talk about Rika!" Her voice was sharp. We are here to celebrate a special day!"

"W-We are?" Mika panicked. She wracked her brain, trying to remember. Was this how the male leads felt in those romantic comedies when they forget their anniversary? She looked over and saw an insufferably smug look on Miria's face. "Ok fine I'll ask, why is today special?"

"Because today is the day, more or less, when we had our first date!" Miria's voice was filled with anticipation, and Mika felt more dread build up. Because she was certain she knew when their anniversary was and it wasn't today.

"But…" She tried to figure out how to deal with this.

"But the first time we dated was when I was 15 right, and it definitely wasn't this time of year." Miria's voice had a quizzical note to it. "And while yes that is the first time we went on a date as girlfriends, it was not, in fact, our first date."

Mika stopped dead in her tracks. "Wait you can't mean…"

"Exactly! That day." Miria paused. "I never told you, but that was the day I fell in love with you. I didn't really understand at the time." Miria took Mika's hand and intertwined their fingers. "It took me maybe a year to realize what it was I felt, and then it took three more years to work up the courage to ask you out." Miria's face was bright red and she was squeezing Mika's hand hard. "So this is the anniversary of that day. Six years ago. I was eleven, you were 17. Now I'm 17."

"Miria I…" Mika trailed off, not knowing what to say. She remembered that day vividly, of course. It was one of her most treasured memories. She'd been shocked when the 15-year-old Miria suddenly asked her out. They knew each other well, of course. Miria was Rika's best friend, but that day was the only time they'd been together without Rika or other idols around. For a long time, she didn't really understand why she said yes to Miria. It had just felt right. But perhaps it all went back to that day, six years before.

"So that's why. I never thought about that day, with how we are now." Mika chuckled. "I guess today is a special day then!"

Still holding hands, Miria led Mika through the streets of Shibuya. They revisited many of the places they went that day, but also to other places that had been important to them. Photobooths, Shopping, they did all the date things they usually did. But for Mika it all felt fresh. As if she were seeing things, seeing her girlfriend, in an entirely new light.

Mika let herself be guided by Miria. She'd planned this day, and Mika was perfectly willing to let her have her way. It had been hard at first. When Miria asked her she'd only just gotten over the breakup of her first real relationship. She'd been head over heels, but it turned out to be more one-sided than she'd thought. They'd also been older. So when Miria came and asked her out, she didn't know what to do at first. Her first instinct was to turn her down. She was 21 and Miria was only 15! That was even bigger than the gap she'd experienced. But when she tried, she couldn't. Miria's determined and sincere face floated up in front of her, and finally she agreed to at least try it out. It had turned out better than she'd expected. Miria was energetic and positive, she always had a smile on her face that could immediately banish Mika's worries.

Mika's fears about the gap in their ages gradually faded away. Yes, Miria was six-years younger, but she had grown into a very self-possessed teenager, she frequently seemed more mature than many of the idols and models Mika's own age! Mika had put her foot down on certain things though, much to Miria's dismay. And to be honest, Mika longed for those things as well, even more so as Miria grew over the two years they dated. At 15 she had been an awkward teenager, at 17 she was a mature young woman, and while she didn't do the sexy type of shoots Rika did, or that Mika herself used to, she was still incredibly attractive. Mika found herself increasingly aware of that fact today. Miria had wrapped their arms together and her breasts pushed into Mika's arm.

"Are you ok Mika? Your face is kind of red." Miria reached up and touched the back of her hand to Mika's forehead. "Well you don't feel hot, so I guess you're fine." Was that a smile on Miria's face. Had she been talking to Rika again. Rika was going to get a piece of her mind, giving her girlfriend funny ideas like that. Mika made herself calm down.

"I'm fine, I'm just enjoying myself with my girlfriend. It's a very nice feeling." Mika purposefully pushed her arm a bit at that. Miria's face flushed, but she didn't unwrap herself.

"Oh, we're here." Miria brought them to a stop. They were outside one of the nicer hotels in Shibuya. Not the nicest, not by far. But still, very nice. Mika had come here a few times for photoshoots, they had a very nice atrium with some attractive fountains. But why was this the place?

"I made lunch reservations at the restaurant here. It's one of the few that does a lunch menu, and not just dinner." Miria unwrapped herself from Mika's arm and took her by the hand, leading the way inside.

"Isn't this expensive?" Both Mika and Miria were highly successful idols, but that didn't mean they could just spend their money willy-nilly. And Mika knew that the lion's share of Miria's income went into a trust that she couldn't access until she graduated from college. She probably had more spending money than the average 17-year-old girl, but not so much to be spending it on something like this!

"It's ok, I've been saving up for a while. I don't spend much, really. Not like certain people I know." Mika winced a bit. She had a tendency to splurge on things like shoes and makeup more than she should.

"I don't spend that much!" she laughed as she said it. "That money is supposed to be for you, you don't need to spend it on me!"

"But I want to spend it on you." Miria squeezed Mika's hand. "Because you are my girlfriend. Because I love you. Spending it on you is even better than spending it on me."

Mika felt her face flush, she hoped she wasn't as red as she felt. But at the same time, she felt something well up in her. She turned and wrapped Miria in a hug. Her heels put her very slightly taller than the younger girl, who returned the hug. They stood there in the hotel's atrium, for what felt like hours but had to be just a few minutes. Finally, they released each other, their eyes met and without any words, kissed. If the hug had felt like hours, the kiss felt like an eternity, though it lasted only a fraction as long.

When they broke the kiss, Miria had her hands on Mika's cheeks. "You know people are watching, right?" Mika glanced around, people were definitely watching, in that way where they try not to look like they are, but that just makes it more obvious.

"Do you not like it?" Mika wouldn't say she liked it, but she also wouldn't quite say she disliked it.

"I don't want to feel ashamed of you. Besides, people need to get used to seeing girls kiss. It's the future now, right?" Miria pecked Mika on the lips again. "Everyone will find out eventually, unless you planned on keeping us a secret?" Miria was an expert at this, putting just the right amount of sad puppy into her voice and expression.

"No no no!" Mika almost yelled. "I want everyone to know I love you. I'm so proud of you, I'm so happy that you fell in love with me." Mika almost choked up, "I just…" she trailed off.

Miria took pity on her girlfriend and took her by the arm, leading the way towards the hotel restaurant. A short few minutes later they were seated at their table, looking at the menu. Miria tried to keep her face expressionless when she looked at the prices, even for lunch. Mika clearly knew and giggled, causing Miria to blush a bit. "Its fine! I can afford it, order what you want!" She could afford it but spending money would be tight for the next few months. The waiter returned, and they placed their orders. "I want to come out, to everyone. After I graduate."

Mika nearly choked on her water. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, I am." Miria looked out the window at the bustling city. "Its not that unusual now, right? Sometimes it almost feels like its weirder for idols to not be gay." Mika wouldn't quite agree with that statement, but she could see why Miria saw it that way. "Kirari and Anzu, Uzuki and Rin, Ranko and Minami, they are all publicly out, Kirari and Anzu are even married."

Mika smiled a bit at that. Those two didn't do things by halves. Kirari proposed to Anzu on live TV on their 21st birthday. She got down on her knees, pulled a ring-case out from between her breasts and asked her tiny girlfriend for her hand in marriage. In the middle of a live variety show. Everyone was so shocked that no one even thought to stop the broadcast. It was rough for them at first, but somewhat surprisingly it caused a bit of a wave of idols and other figures in entertainment, female and male, to come out in support. That didn't make everyone accepting though, particularly not parents. Mika had come out to her parents several years back, in the wake of Rika's…incident. But she was already an adult and had lived on her own for several years. Miria was planning on going to college, from what she understood the plan was for Miria to stay at home while… "Wait, Miria. You aren't-" Miria cut her off.

"I want to move in with you." Mika was saved from an immediate response by the waiter arriving with their lunch. They had both ordered the lunch salad, which had turned out to be one of the more impressive salads Mika had ever seen. They ate quietly, but then finally they finished. Mika looked across the table, her eyes met by Miria's. She'd gazed into those eyes hundreds of times. Seen them shine with excitement, tear up in sadness, harden with confidence. But more than that she had seen love in them. A look she couldn't ever quite believe was direct at her. Now she could see all of those and more.

"I'm serious, Mika." Miria's voice held a tone Mika couldn't remember ever hearing before. "I turn 18 right after graduation. I've already been accepted to my first-choice school." Mika hadn't gone to college. She'd honestly barely managed to finish High School, she was glad Miria was determined to continue her education. "Its closer to where you live than my parents." Miria clearly had this discussion all planned out.

"Well, I…." Mika paused, did she have a problem with this? Isn't this what she ultimately wanted? To be with Miria, to live together as a couple? "I'm sorry." Miria got a confused look on her face. "You clearly prepared this whole speech to convince me, to counter any argument that I could make." Miria blushed slightly, confirming what Mika said. "But I don't want to argue with you. I want to live with you. I haven't ever wanted anything more in my entire life." Mika felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She reached across the table and took Miria's hands into hers. "Thank you, thank you for loving me."

Miria was completely unprepared for this reaction. She'd assembled an entire litany of reasons why this was a great idea, and she'd even managed to push "it will make having sex more convenient" all the way to the bottom half. But now Mika had completely given in at the first suggestion and was having a breakdown in the middle of the restaurant. "No, I…I should be the one thanking you. You agreed to my childish request, even when you had every reason not to. It was so selfish of me to even ask." She started crying as well. She looked up, and her eyes met Mika's, brilliant amber, framed in red from her tears. Something about it made Miria start to giggle, and then Mika followed suit. The two women, hands clasped across a table, eyes red from tears and giggling like schoolgirls. They must have been quite a sight.

Mika let go and used a napkin to wipe her tears. "Look at us, crying about how neither of us deserves the other, then laughing in the middle of a fancy restaurant." Miria gave her a sheepish smile as she wiped her own tears. Motioning the waiter over, who for his credit gave absolutely no indication that he'd witnessed anything at all, she paid with cash and they left on their way. Arm in arm once more, somehow pressed even closer together, they made their way back to the streets.

"Did you have more plans after lunch?" Mika was curious as to what else was in store, this had already been the most eventful dates she'd ever been on.

"Actually…I was sort of expecting to spend the rest convincing you to let me move in." Miria had a wry smile. "So, no I don't, is there anything you want to do? I've been dragging you around all day." Mika thought for a moment and then made a suggestion, which seemed to surprise Miria. Mika wondered why it hadn't been included.

A little while later the two were safely ensconced in a karaoke booth, Miria was putting in a drink order while Mika started choosing songs. Much to Miria's horror, all the songs Mika had chosen were, well, Miria's songs. Mika started singing, while she was no longer an idol, her singing skills hadn't faded. Though Miria was having trouble appreciating things through her utter mortification. She knew all these songs by heart, of course, and she totally wasn't embarrassed to sing them, but having her 23-year-old girlfriend singing _Romantic Now_ to her, while giving her looks that Miria herself certainly had never used while singing it was, bad. Really bad. But also, good. Especially the parts where Mika was changing some of the pronouns.

Miria's destruction was completed when one of the staff came in with their drinks, right as Mika sang " _Romantic is a magic word_ / _Skip, skip I wonder when I'll find you_ ". Miria turned to look as the door opened and she thought she was going to die right then and there from the expression on the face of the teenager with their drinks. Mika didn't even stop and kept right on singing that horrible, embarrassing song to her as the girl placed the drinks on the table, bowed slightly and scurried out. Miria breathed a sigh of relief, only to realize that Mika was now leaning right over her. The pink haired girl was finishing the song, and then sung the final line right into Miria's ear. "Together with you forever."

Miria was done. Defeated. Absolutely destroyed in every way. "That's not fair!" She shook her fist at Mika, who stood their twirling her cotton-candy hair. "You know I don't sing that song anymore!" Mika just gave her a big grin and put up two fingers in the V sign. "Don't you victory me!" Miria jumped up and grabbed the other microphone. "Time for some payback." Quickly finding the song she wanted and typing it into the console, a moment later a cheery, sugary sounding song began to play. Mika immediately recognized the song and her face fell immediately.

 _NUDIE_ _A sincere kiss  
I want to give you  
all of my bare heart_

Oh no. She hadn't thought of this. She should have. This was worse than _Romantic Now_. Suddenly Miria was right in front of her, still singing. Every lyric struck Mika like an arrow. Miria moved closer, Mika stepped back and suddenly found herself laying down on the karaoke booth's couch. This was really bad.

 _NUDIE_ _An honest love  
The me right now  
probably isn't very cute_

Mika gulped as Miria climbed up onto the couch, somehow managing to keep singing into the microphone. Mika had sung this song hundreds of times, sure it had been a little embarrassing at first but eventually it was just another song. It most definitely was not just another song now. Mika never really imagined she'd hear it sung to her, with her being the target of the lyrics. On the one hand it felt really good. On the other, this was definitely going places she'd endeavored for them to not go for the last nearly three years.

 _NUDIE_ _A sincere kiss  
In a way just like myself,  
I'll give you my love_

 _Forever… ever…  
In eternity_

As the last word faded from her lips, Miria dropped the microphone, leaned down and kissed Mika deeply. They'd kissed before. Just earlier that day they had. But this, this was the deepest, most passionate kiss Mika had ever experienced. Which wasn't saying much, precisely 100% of her kisses had been with Miria. Mika reached upwards, wrapping her arms around Miria, pulling the girl closer. Their bodies pressed together, closer than Mika had ever allowed before. She could feel Miria's warmth through their clothes, she could feel her own body responding, heating up, in a way she'd only truly felt a few times before.

Suddenly she pushed Miria away. Breaking the kiss. Miria had a surprised look on her face. "No, not now." Mika was almost panting. "Not here, not now." She slid out from underneath Miria and sat properly on the couch. She could tell her body was flushed, looking over at Miria, the brown-haired girl's face was red, her own breathing labored. "I promised."

"Promised who?" Miria sounded confused, though thankfully not hurt.

"Myself. That very night. The night after you confessed, before I accepted." Mika hadn't ever really planned on telling Miria this. "I promised that if this worked out, that I wouldn't do anything, let anything like this happen. Until you were 18." Mika looked up at Miria. "I didn't want to hurt you. I've seen other girls hurt by falling for people older than them. I didn't want to do that to you. I almost turned you down, not because I didn't like you, but because…" Mika realized she was crying again. "Because if I was responsible for hurting you in some way, I don't know how I would have lived with it." The emotions she'd felt at the restaurant came back but amplified even more.

Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her, pulling her head towards something soft. "I'm sorry, I never realized you felt that way." Miria gently stroked Mika's hair. "I'm glad you accepted, and I'm glad you made that promise." Mika pulled away and looked at Miria, her eyes showing surprise. "I probably wouldn't have thought that at the time, but…you were right. We've both seen what can happen, and I'm glad you cared so much. That's one of the reasons I fell in love with you, after all!" Miria smiled, though tears glistened slightly at the corners of her eyes. "Look at us, we're both complete wrecks, aren't we?" Mika giggled slightly. Rubbing her eyes, she smiled up at her girlfriend.

"I don't think I'd have it any other way."

oOoOo

Quite a few hours later, as evening was starting to fall, the door to the Akagi household opened. "I'm home!" Miria called out. She entered, Mika following right behind.

"Nee-chan welc-" Fuyuko stuck her head into the hallway, but her greeting was cut off when she saw who else was there. "MIKA-NEECHAN!" She yelled out, and just a moment later Mika found herself near bowled over by twenty kilograms worth of hurtling seven-year-old. Luckily, she'd managed to get her pumps off before the girl had noticed her, so she wasn't completely bowled over. Grabbing the girl under the arms she lifted her up and spun her in the air. "Well if it isn't Fuyuko-chan!"

Miria shook her head at the scene, Fuyuko had known Mika for most of her life, and really did see her as another older sister. Which come to think of it, was going to be even more true soon enough. A voice called out from the living room. "Miria, do you need dinner?" It was after normal dinner time, and she'd let her parents known she wouldn't need it.

"No, Mika and I ate dinner together." Mika had put Fuyuko down but was currently kneeling and listening intently to what the little girl had to say. Mika glanced over at Miria, who nodded. Mika stood up and walked over to Miria, taking her by the hand. Miria squeezed her hand and felt Mika's hand squeeze in return. Walking down the hallway, hand in hand, Miria opened the door to the living room, where both her parents were sitting in front of the TV. They looked up as the two girls walked in.

"Mom, Dad." Miria took a deep breath. "Mika and I have something we need to tell you."


End file.
